A COMPARISON OF PRENATAL DRINKING IN 2 RECENT SAMPLES OF ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS

The drinking patterns of 124 pregnant teenagers are described and comp ared with those of 267 pregnant adults attending the same prenatal cli nic in Pittsburgh. Adults had a significantly higher average daily vol ume of alcohol prior to pregnancy than adolescents, but that higher le vel was no longer significant during pregnancy. However, the rate of b inge drinking during the first trimester was higher in the teenage sam ple than in the adult sample. Rates of binge drinking and heavy drinki ng were highest among the white teenage group. Use of marijuana and co caine/crack decreased precipitously during pregnancy for both teenager s and adults. Tobacco use also decreased among the adults, but increas ed from 56% to 71% during pregnancy in the teenage sample. Based on ou r findings, patterns of drinking among adult pregnant women do not gen eralize to pregnant adolescents. Offspring of white adolescents, in pa rticular, may be at higher risk for intermittent high peak alcohol exp osure farther into the pregnancy than are offspring of older women.